


tell me what's with all this distant love (if i call would you pick it up)

by phoenix_inthe_fire



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 20:17:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17628977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenix_inthe_fire/pseuds/phoenix_inthe_fire
Summary: On some nights like this, shawty, I can't help but think of usI've been reminiscin', sippin', missin' yaCan you tell me what's with all this distant love?If I called, would you pick it up?or the one where Penelope breaks her own heart and gets it back in stronger pieces.





	tell me what's with all this distant love (if i call would you pick it up)

**Author's Note:**

> The origin story on a little universe that comebackbehere23 and I came up with. I will say that I've never watched Legacies fully but I've seen a few seasons of TVD and the Originals so I'm vaguely familiar... anyway be watching out for comebackbehere23's next installment in this universe.

The summer after the break up is an absolute nightmare.

Penelope feels like there’s a hole in her chest and the feeling is foreign for multiple reasons. She hadn’t ever cared for anyone or anything as much as she had with Josie. It was kind of sad that she didn’t realize it until they were over. It was supposed to be a fling but it had spiraled so far out of control and now Penelope was in love with a heart that was destined to love everyone else but her.

“You’re gross.”

Penelope glares hotly at her older sister. “Can you fuck off?”

Jackie just smirks and makes herself very comfortable on Penelope’s desk chair. “No can do little sister.”

Penelope scoffs and sticks both headphones in her ears as opposed to one. She makes sure she turns the music up even higher. It was somehow comforting and miserable that her sister had decided to come home for the summer from college to watch Penelope wallow. She hadn’t said anything all last week so Penelope thinks maybe the grace period was over with. It was touching really but also horrifying that she was so obviously affected that her sister was treating her gently.

Jackie rips the headphones from her ears and sends them clean across the room with a flick of her wrist. “I don’t think so little witch, we’re talking about this.”

“And if I don’t want?” Penelope snaps back defiantly.

Jackie smirks, “Cute. I wasn’t giving you an option.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Penelope says stiffly. “I really don’t.”

Jackie frowns, concern flashing across her face. “Tough shit, Pen. I wanna know why you’re moping around the house and being gross.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” Penelope glares, crossing her arms across her chest.

Jackie finally softens, well as much as she can for her. “Do you want me to curse someone? Because I will. Wanna exact revenge? We’ve got all summer to plan. You name it and we can do it.”

Penelope’s lips twitch, her body loosening just the slightest bit and her arms fall away to pick at the errant strands of her throw blanket instead of bunching up. “There was a girl.” She says very softly.

Jackie waits, face expectant.

“I think I love her.” It feels relieving to finally say it out loud but it hurts almost unbearably. Penelope looks down at the blanket to hide the sheen to her eyes.

“But?” Jackie urges cautiously.

Penelope sniffles once and shakes her head, slapping a bland smile on her face. “Nothing. She doesn’t love me back.”

Jackie’s frown is so intense, Penelope is sure smoke will start pouring from her ears any second. “How long were you guys together?” She asks neutrally.

“A few months,” Penelope shrugs, “Long enough.”

“Alright,” Jackie says after a beat, her face only a little skeptical, “Get dressed. We’re going out.”

“Wait to where?” Penelope calls out to her retreating form.

“I wanna see the bitch that broke my little sister’s heart.”

-

_Penelope doesn’t get nervous often, mostly because she didn’t care about anything enough to feel too strongly about it, but pulling up at Josie’s house at 5:00 on a Saturday night for their first date has butterflies roaring something vicious in her gut. Her palms were even sweaty._

_The walk up to the house is a blur and thankfully it’s Josie who answers the door when Penelope rings the bell. Her breath audibly catches in her throat at the sight of Josie. She’s done up more so than usual, a little more makeup on her face and a very pretty dress that’s casual without being too showy._

_“Hi.” Josie breathes with a nervous smile._

_“You look- wow.” Penelope says, openly awed._

_Josie blushes prettily and looks down, swishing the dress a little as she twists on her feet. “Thank you. You look really nice too.” She gives a very obvious once over, lingering on the patch of skin left on display with Penelope’s crop top._

_Penelope smirks. “Ready to go then?” She offers out her arm expectantly and Josie grins to herself as she slide her arm around the leather of Penelope's jacket._

_She pulls the door open for Josie, smirk deepening at the way Josie can barely conceal her surprise at the niceness of her car. She tucks her in safely and practically swaggers her way back to the driver’s seat._

_“This is a really nice car.” Josie tells her in awe, running her hands along the leather of the seat._

_“Thank you,” Penelope says genuinely, “It’s one of my favorite things I own.”_

_Josie looks a little startled by this. “I didn’t know you cared about the environment so much.” She says with a teasing grin._

_Penelope smirks at her, “Tesla’s just look so sleek and fancy. Kind of like me.”_

_Josie’s laugh is the best thing Penelope thinks she’s ever heard._

_They go to dinner first because Penelope loves the classic dinner and a movie combination and she feels like anything too much might send Josie running for the hills. The longer the date goes on, the more Penelope really wants her to stay._

_“It’s just stupid is all.” Josie shrugs as they head back to the entrance of the restaurant._

_Penélope nods very seriously, though she can’t quite remember what Josie had been talking about originally, just that she’d looked beautiful and patient while she did it. She slides her hand into Josie’s casually._

_Josie jerks a little bit, looking surprised down at their joined hands but really pleased at the same time. She laces their fingers together tighter and offers Penelope a smile. “Where to now?”_

_“Well,” Penelope drawls, holding the door open for Josie to pass through first, “I remember you said you really wanted to see that Blake Lively movie so I got us tickets.”_

_“I- I said that a really long time ago.” Josie says quietly._

_“Yes,” Penelope agrees, “But you were very excited about Blake Lively in a suit. One does not forget that.”_

_Josie smiles at her so softly that Penelope feels herself blush. “Who knew you were so romantic.”_

_Penélope smiles, “You make it really easy.” She says in a rush of air. The nerves hadn’t really fully gone away because she found herself wanting to impress Josie as much as she was enjoying Josie’s company. She just didn’t want to mess anything up._

_The movie is fantastic and they spend the majority of the car ride home talking about it. Penelope thinks her favorite thing to see is Josie breaking right out of her shell and speaking non stop about something that intrigued her. She knows without a shadow of a doubt, as she walks Josie to her front door, that she wants a million more of these kinds of dates._

_“I had a really good time tonight.” Josie tells her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear._

_“I did too.” Penelope says with a genuine smile. “I’d really like to do it again some time. If that’s okay.”_

_Josie’s eyes look a little bewildered when she looks back at Penelope. “That’s absolutely okay with me.” She says, a little shock in her voice._

_Penelope thinks she’s starting to understand why. She leans forward, gives plenty of time for Josie to move away if she so pleases. Her lips hit the corner of Josie’s mouth, chaste enough not to put pressure but not far enough away from her mouth to be friendly. “Goodnight, Josie.”_

_“Goodnight, Penelope,” Josie breathes after a beat, her hand reaching up absently to cup her cheek._

_Penelope doesn’t stop smiling the rest of the night._

-

“This is stupid.” Penelope grumbles from the passenger seat of Jackie’s cherry red mustang. She’s hunkered low in her seat because they’re parked in the high school parking lot where Penelope knows Josie is going to pass through at any moment. She’d watched MG’s snapchat story where they’d been playing a half hearted game of flag football a few hours ago.

“No it’s not.” Jackie drawls, eyes hidden behind dark shades.

“You’ve seen her before.” Penelope informs her, “I used to post her on snapchat and instagram all the time.”

Jackie doesn’t respond, just keeps looking around the parking lot without a care in the word. Penelope hates her nonchalance so much. “Don’t even think about it.” Jackie says suddenly, whipping her head to stare at Penelope.

Penelope glares at her, her poised hand falling away. “Whatever. Can we go?”

“You’re more than welcome to walk home.” Jackie snips.

“Why is this so important to you?” Penelope demands, “Stop being so cryptic for two fucking seconds and just tell me what's going on. If you think the whole summer is going to be you just fucking- jerking me around then-”

“Oh my god,” Jackie groans, her head falling back against the seat as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “Can you just shut the fuck up for like five minutes?”

“Absolutely not!” Penelope practically shrieks. “Tell me why we’re just staking out my high school.”

“Okay,” Jackie sighs, lifting her sunglasses so Penelope can see her eyes, “I want to see her because I want to know if she’s as fucking mopey as you are. If she is then maybe you can fix things and if she isn’t then,” Jackie shrugs and shield her eyes again, leaning back into her seat cooly, “I’ll kill her.”

Penelope does in fact stay quiet for at least five minutes.

“What if I don’t want to fix it?” Penelope asks softly.

Jackie smiles sadly, “You would have gotten out of the car already, bud.”

There’s silence for a while, just the birds chirping around them and the occasional start of an engine, until suddenly there’s a laughing and jeering and the team is closing in on their cars.

Penelope sits up suddenly fidgety but Jackie doesn’t look bothered in the least.

“Relax, no one can see through the tints.” Jackie tells her.

“The front window is clear.” Penelope fires back. She picks through the crowd easily, sees the usual suspects but not Josie. They all offer Jackie’s car varying looks of respect and suspicion but Jackie pays them no mind.

“There she is.” Jackie says, leaning forward now and it’s then that Penelope finally sees Josie. She’s carrying two separate duffel bags and walking fast to catch back up to the group. Penelope is unsurprised to see Lizzie in the middle of the group and not paying her twin sister any mind.

Penelope’s heart breaks and lights in a rage at the same time. “Her twin sister is the blonde one in the middle.” She feels the need to perform.

Jackie doesn’t move her head to look and after a beat she’s leaning back again and turning the key to start the engine. It’s a loud roar, made worse by Jackie pressing the gas a little while they’re still in park, it also catches everyone’s attention.

“What are you doing?” Penelope demands when Jackie drives towards the group.

“Ask her if she wants a ride.” Jackie says.

“Are you insane?” Penelope snaps but Jackie doesn’t stop the car and then they’re pulling up parallel to the group and everyone is staring now. “I hate you.”

Jackie smiles, “Ask her.” She urges.

Penelope takes a deep breath and schools on her face before dropping the window.

“Penelope?” MG asks in confusion, “What the hell are you doing?”

“Asking Josie if she wants a ride,” Penelope says smoothly, her eyes on Josie.

Josie fidgets under everyone's stares but her eyes never stray too far from Penelope’s. She looks like she hasn’t been sleeping right because there are dark circles under her eyes but she still looks so beautiful, even all sweaty and dirt smeared. “No thank you.” Josie says firmly.

Lizzie decides then that she wants to step in, just like clockwork since all the eyes weren’t on her anymore. “She doesn’t need a ride from you, Satan, why don’t you crawl back into whatever hole you came out of?”

Jackie scoffs from the driver’s seat and Penelope turns to smirk at her. “She sounds like the fucking babysitter when we set her kitchen on fire, dear god.”

Penelope laughs, “I know, such a peach right.”

Lizzie apparently doesn’t like being mocked to somehow she can’t see because she gets closer to the window and peers through it. “Who the hell are you?”

Jackie raises an eyebrow. “Sweetie,” She grins, teeth gleaming, “You don’t wanna know. I make this one look like a kitten.”

Penelope smirks, “Truth.”

“What the hell is going on?” MG mutters loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Sure you don’t want a ride, Josie?” Penelope asks again, this time no attitude, no ulterior motive, just a genuine question for her.

Josie falters a step, “No thank you,” She says again, gentler this time, a little confused.

Jackie guns the engine then, the car pulling off so fast that Lizzie jumps back and hits the ground.

It’s the first belly laugh Penelope’s had since the break up.

-

_“Oh come on!” Josie laughs, still holding out her spoon, “Just try it!”_

_Penelope eyes the chocolate chip mint ice cream like it’s personally offended her. “No thank you.” She says with a wrinkled nose._

_Josie shakes her head fondly as she shoves the spoon into her own mouth, humming exaggeratedly in response. “You’re missing out.” She sing songs._

_They’d decide to sneak out and get ice cream in town. It’d been an almost full week since their first date and Penelope finds that spending time with Josie is addicting. The more she peels back the girl’s layers the more she finds she likes. She’d been dying to kiss her for days but the moment had never been right and the few times she’d psyched herself up, someone always interrupted._

_“I’ll stick to my chocolate,” Penelope laughs, “It’s great.” She decides to lick salaciously at her spoon and smirks when Josie’s eyes zero in on her tongue. Josie’s mouth hangs open a fraction, her cheeks blushing a little._

_“Finish your ice cream,” Penelope laughs, warmth amusement and fondness welling in her chest. She loved the way Josie was always watching her, always receptive to Penelope’s teasing, “So we can go for a walk.”_

_Josie practically wolfs down the rest of her ice cream and Penelope grins wickedly the whole time. She doesn’t stop her teasing at all._

_“You look really pretty today.” Josie says as they walk through the park. She’d grabbed Penelope’s hand today and steered them towards the path along the moderately sized pond. It was a very pretty day and Penelope had gotten lost in looking up at the trees._

_“Thank you.” Penelope blushes, grinning and wrapping her hand around Josie’s bicep. It was firm under touch and it was no secret really the fondness she had for Josie’s body and muscles. “You look very pretty too. I like your hair down. You should do it more often.” She says, giving said hair a playful tug._

_“Lizzie says it looks better when it’s up.” Josie says with a kind of resigned shrug._

_“I think Lizzie is a fucking idiot and you look beautiful no matter what. Even when you’re all pouty. Or sweaty. Definitely look hot when you’re sweaty.” Penelope starts firmly but it trails off into a dreamy kind of sigh as she thinks of an earlier flag football practice she’d watched. Josie had looked so hot and the urge to kiss her had been stronger than ever but Lizzie had made sure to squash any and all alone time between them so Penelope had had to go home and take a cold shower._

_“You really think that?” Josie asks with wide eyes._

_“Absolutely.” Penelope smirks, bumping Josie’s shoulder, “You’re the better twin in my opinion. And my opinion counts the most.” She says cheekily._

_Josie kisses her first._

_“Sorry,” Josie says breathely, “Was that okay?”_

_Penelope grips the back of her head and kisses her until they can’t breath._

-

Penelope wakes up feeling grouchy two days later.

“Who the fuck are you?” She asks with a sneer at the body at her kitchen table eating her coveted cereal. She snatches the box away immediately.

“I’m Quincy,” The body says, slurping from a spoon and then sticking out his hand out. “You must be Penelope.”

Penelope eyes the hand in disgust. “Listen, Quincy.” She starts, deceptively sweet, “The homeless shelter is two miles in the opposite direction, so I highly suggest you get to stepping before I pull the double pump shot gun out and decide to go hunting early.”

Quincy stares at her for a moment, his mouth wide open before he bursts into deep laughter. “Holy shit, it’s genetic.”

Penelope glares at him flatly.

“Sorry, sorry,” Quincy chortles, “That was just so-” he breaks into laughter again and it’s then that Jackie rounds the corner. She looks unperturbed at Quincy’s presence.

“Don’t worry he’s mine.” Jackie says in explanation, “He got in last night after you fell asleep otherwise I would have introduced you.”

Penelope sneers, “Well he’s eating my cereal like an animal.”

Quincy’s laughter fades away in an instant, baring his teeth at Penelope as an honest to God growl rips through his throat. Jackie swipes a hand soothingly over his back and it disappears.

“He’s a wolf.” Jackie tells Penelope pointedly.

“Whatever, I’m not saying sorry he ate all my cereal.” Penelope says as she flings the nearly empty box back towards Quincy.

“Stop being grumpy I’ll make you pancakes.” Jackie tells her, standing the box up instead of leaving it laying on it’s side.

Penelope eyes her skeptically, “With chocolate chips?”

“Duh.” Jackie smirks.

“Can I have some too?” Quincy asks sheepishly.

Jackie pinches his cheeks and plants a wet kiss on his forehead that makes Penelope frown, “Of course, puppy,” She coos.

Quincy doesn’t growl at her at all.

Their breakfast mainly consists of Penelope scrolling through her social media while Quincy tears through an almost entire separate box of cereal before Jackie places heaping stacks of pancakes in front of them. They taste just as good as Penelope remembers and she eats 3 of them without shame.

“Are you starved?” Jackie questions in mild disgust as Quincy shoves two pancakes rolled together into his mouth, bringing his grand total of pancakes consumed to 6.

“I ran here!” Quincy defends around bulging cheeks.

Jackie just frowns harder, “For fucking what? You have a car!”

“We were racing,” Quincy informs her and then he grins proudly, “I won.”

“Who were you racing against?” Penelope asks curiously. She was a lot more receptive to Quincy now that she was fed and plied with warm hot cakes. She was still going to get revenge on her obliterated favorite cereal.

“My cousin.” Quincy says around his pancakes, “She starts at your school soon actually.” He informs Penelope.

“Oh?” Penelope is faintly interested by this.

“Yeah,” Quincy bobs his head, wisps of blonde hair falling out of place “Senior year here. We’re gunna get her settled into her dorm and stuff later.”

“Where is she?” Jackie demands suddenly.

Quincy goes sheepish, scraping his fork against the plate, “The forest?”

Penelope’s eyes go wide.

Jackie pinches the bridge of her nose and points towards the back door. “Go. Get. Her.”

Quincy slinks off with a syrupy kiss to Jackie’s cheek and heads out the back door.

“How long that been going on?” Penelope asks with a nod at Quincy’s vacated seat.

“Since last summer,” Jackie says with an aggrieved sigh but the corners of her lips are upturned in a smile. “He’s a huge pain in the ass but he’s like a personal space heater so.” She shrugs and sips her coffee like it’s nothing that she’s suddenly been in a relationship for a year where Penelope knows her track record. All previous relationships had a shelf life of barely 2 months, she was worse than Penelope in all areas.

“He’s a wolf.” Penelope says with a wrinkled nose.

Jackie rolls her eyes, “And?”

“Didn’t think you were into that is all.”

“I’d never met an docile alpha male before.” Jackie says with a filthy smirk.

Penelope gags. “Gross.”

There’s a thump at the back door that draws both their eyes and Jackie sighs grandly at the two bodies wrestling to get through the door first.

“Hey!” Jackie shouts at the pair of them, “Don’t break my fucking door.”

Both bodies still, looking up at Jackie with matching crestfallen expressions before Quincy uses the moment to cross the threshold first. He gets back to his pancakes with a proud smirk and Penelope’s eyes linger on the new comer.

She’s short but lithe, her arms coiled in hidden muscle, and her face is almost innocent if it weren’t for the wild look in her eyes. She’s not Josie but she certainly isn’t unattractive either.

“Hi.” She says with a demure little wave, “I’m Cameron.”

“Come sit down, Camz.” Quincy says, “Try Jack’s pancakes. They’re great.”

Cameron looks at Jackie hopefully and Jackie sighs again and heads back to the stove. “Park it little wolf.” Cameron takes her spot at the table without protest.

“Are you Jackie’s sister?” Cameron asks her with big eyes.

“Penelope.” Penelope introduces herself, “But everyone at school will tell you I’m Satan.” She says playfully.

Quincy snorts, mutters, “Genetic.” Under his breath but otherwise says nothing.

“Are you evil?” Cameron asks with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“I can be.” Penelope says with a smirk.

“Well then I guess I better get on your good side.” Cameron says with a grin and well Penelope certainly isn’t going to say no to new toys.

-

“You talk to Josie?” Jackie asks her some weeks later.

The summer is rapidly dwindling, the loom of school hanging over their heads. They’d ditched the wolves down on the beach because they kept tackling each other into the sand and trying to drown each other in the water so Penelope and Jackie had gotten ice cream cones and came to sit on the peer instead.

“Nope.” Penelope drawls, sucking an errant drop of vanilla from her finger. “I don’t plan on it either.”

“You still love her though.” Jackie points out.

“I do not,” Penelope lies, “I’m over it. I was just sad because I lost my favorite toy of the moment.”

Jackie stops eating her ice cream cone and frowns at her. “Hey,” She says sternly, “That’s not cool.”

“Says you,” Penelope snorts, not quite meeting her eye, “You’re worse than me.”

“I was,” Jackie confirms, “But then I grew the fuck up.”

Penelope stays stubbornly silent.

“Look I get it.” Jackie says softly, “It’s not easy being honest with yourself sometimes. We can blame Mom for that but you love Josie. If you didn’t you’d have already got in Cameron’s pants and you know it.”

Penelope smiles faintly. She had certainly thought about it but Cameron was a good person and Penelope genuinely enjoyed her company. She had a sunny outlook on things while still maintaining a back bone. She was also surprisingly vicious, Penelope had found after a game of monopoly that had resulted in her bashing Quincy’s face into the table after he’d made Cameron go bankrupt. Monopoly was now banned from game night indefinitely. There was still blood on the carpet.

“I think Josie feels the same.” Jackie continues on, “I know you won’t tell me why you broke up with her but if it’s what I think then, Pen you just gotta be patient but fight for her okay?”

Penelope sucks her lip into her mouth and nods her head. “Okay.”

Jackie grins. “Fantastic.” She nudges her shoulder against Penelope’s, “Plus I’m only a call away alright? It’s a four hour drive down here probably faster if I ride Quincy’s back.”

Penelope laughs at the visual. “I’m glad you came home for the summer.”

“Me too, bud, me too.”

-

_“I’m so sorry I’m late!” Josie rushes to say as she enters Penelope’s dorm room. “Lizzie needed me to help her get ready for her date.”_

_Penelope rounds on her with anger blazing in her eyes. The hurt in her chest is almost unbearable. This had been the third time this week alone that Josie had ditched her the moment Lizzie needed her and while she had understood the first time, the nth time was starting to piss her off. But more than that it made her second guess just how much Josie even cared about her. “You should just go back to your dorm.” Penelope says icily, her arms crossed tight over her chest._

_She’d already changed back into her clothes. She’d had a whole picnic style ready for them, utilizing all the open space with being the only one in this particular dorm but by the time two hours had gone by with no word from Josie, Penelope had taken it all down and half destroyed the room in the process. She’d even cleaned it back and showered as 2 hours turned to almost 4. Now she was just kind of numb._

_“What?” Josie falters, “No we can still-”_

_“Please get out, Josie.” Penelope snaps, “I don’t want you here.”_

_Josie recoils in hurt, her lower lip sucking into her mouth. “Penny, I said I was sorry.”_

_“Yeah I heard you,” Penelope sneers, “And that may have worked if you were an hour late, Josie, do you even know what time it is?” She asks incredulously._

_Josie shakes her head slowly, “No, I lost track of time.”_

_Penelope scoffs, runs both hands through her hair in frustration, “Of course you did. Josie it’s nearly 10!”_

_“I didn’t-” Josie flinches, her eyes going wide as realization dawns on her face, “Pen- I swear I just lost track of time, I wasn’t trying to purposely-”_

_Penelope raises a hand, shocked to feel tears sliding down her cheeks, “Please, just go. I want to be alone.”_

_“Penelope, I’m sorry,” Josie says again, trying to reach for Penelope’s hand but coming up with nothing when Penelope side steps her._

_“Shut the door on your way out.” Penelope sniffles. Her tone is cold and dismissive but her heart is anything but. It aches at the sight of Josie’s hurt face but all she remembers is the pain of waiting, the feeling of being second best. Josie hadn’t even called._

_Josie leaves after a long moment and the door clicks shut behind her with a quiet click that echoes like a slam in Penelope’s heart. She cries herself to sleep and when morning comes, she sends the text with a heavy heart._

_To: Jojo_  
_I can’t do this anymore. It’s over._

-

“I have a question.” Penelope says suddenly into the quietness of the room.

Cameron snorts a little from the spot on the bed beside her, like she was jolting herself awake. Penelope doesn’t blame her. It was late and she wishes she could fall asleep as easily herself. As it was she had a lot of her mind and sleep was avoiding her. “I’m listening.” Cameron responds sleepily.

“If I wanted to cause a little chaos at school would you have my back?”

“Absolutely.” Cameron says immediately, no hesitation.

“Even if I’m not in the right?” Penelope prodes.

“You’re pack.” Cameron says like that’s all that matters.

Penelope is surprised at the sudden spring of tears in her eyes. “I just want her back, Camz.”

“Okay.” Cameron says easily, “But you come up with the plan, I’m better at execution than I am thinking them up.”

Penelope laughs thickly, “Deal.”

-

“They’re not really cousins are they?” Penelope finds herself asking as she watches Quincy and Cameron talk quietly in front of her. It was very obvious that they weren’t because Quincy was blonde and fair skinned and Cameron was dark haired and sun kissed. She looked more like Penelope’s cousin than she did Quincy’s but their bond was no less strong because of it.

“No,” Jackie says softly, watching too with a fondness Penelope finds fascinating. “Cameron’s pack was slaughtered by vampires and Cameron and another pup were the only ones who survived. One of the families in Quincy’s pack took her in but they were always close, especially after Quincy’s pack got killed too.”

“What happened to the other wolf?” Penelope asks curiously.

Jackie smiles sadly. “No one knows. She disappeared when she was 13 from the pack that fostered her. Cameron hasn’t said anything but I think they were a mated pair. One of them survived, so they both did kind of thing, that night. Quincy says Camz dreams about her sometimes.”

“That’s so much loss, how is she so cheerful.” Penelope questions in awe, a new kind of respect for her new best friend burbling in her chest. She also feels a fierce kind of protectiveness for the girl. After all Cameron had made her heart break a little bit easier to manage without even really knowing that’s what she was doing.

“Fuck if I know,” Jackie says gruffly. “But they both deserve the world.”

Penelope definitely agrees and just like that a sub plan to her master plan begins to form.

-

Penelope will get Josie to put herself first even if it kills her. Even if Josie hates the very ground Penelope walks on, she’ll do it because Josie deserved the world too.

_-_

_Penelope understands in theory why everyone is giving her a wide berth. She’s been much snappier lately because her heart still hurt and she missed Josie so much but she refused to be treated like she wasn’t important. Not when she went out of her way to try and make Josie feel special._

_Lizzie glares at her every chance she gets and Penelope almost wishes she would dare herself to say something. It would definitely give Penelope an outlet for all her warring emotions. Hope is the only one who seems to understand and while MG isn’t outwardly aggressive, he steers clear of her too._

_Penelope almost can’t handle the way Josie looks at her. She looks so hurt and confused and more than once did Penelope find herself half way to reaching out but all she can remember is the way the cold rejection had settled into her heart. She stops herself every time._

_“Have a nice summer, Jojo,” Penelope whispers as she watches Lizzie whisk Josie away out onto the field. She keeps her head down as she walks to her car and nearly cries at the startlingly realization that she was well and truly alone._

_-_

“Everyone is scared of you.” Cameron laughs as they eat lunch alone. It’s been like this since the start of the semester two weeks ago. Everyone had seen Cameron walk in with her, sit beside her and laugh with her, and everyone gave her a wide berth. Cameron didn’t really seem to mind.

Penelope’s eating cheesy fries big enough to share and Cameron’s already demolished an entire double cheeseburger with all the fixings and is now making her way through a hot dog slathered in ketchup. “I’m a vicious bitch.” She answers with a shrug.

“Only when scorned.” Cameron points out. It makes Penelope smile. It wasn’t often that she didn’t have someone defending her, even if it was just to herself.

Penelope nods in agreement before she frowns and leans forward. “Are you like okay? You taking night trips I don’t know about or something? What’s with the calorie intake?”

Cameron looks caught off guard for a moment, like she’s only just now noticed she’s eating like there’s a vacuum in her stomach. “I don’t- I don’t know I just feel so hungry all the time.”

Penelope files it away for later because while werewolves did need a significantly higher calorie intake, this was a bit much even by their standards. The only time she’d really seen Cameron eat like this was when she’d physically exerted herself and Penelope was with her pretty much always and she wasn’t doing anything strenuous enough to warrant this kind of eating.

“I have to tell you something but don't freak out.” Penelope decides to switch gears. There was really no reason to bring up her suspicions to Cameron just yet. She doesn’t look in Cameron’s direction but she imagines her eyebrows are raised, her head cocked in interest. “I kissed Josie last night.”

Cameron cheers around her mouthful of hot dog and swallows it down quickly. “Pen! That’s great!”

Penelope smiles at the enthusiasm. “I said don’t freak out.” She chastises but there’s a smile pulling at her lips anyway, “It was probably nothing though. I shouldn’t read too much into it like she was buried in-”

“Hey,” Cameron cuts in softy when Penelope visibly shutters, “She’s okay. We got to her in time.”

“I was so scared.” Penelope admits quietly. She’d had a bad feeling in her gut when Josie hadn’t shown up all night but she’d chalked it up to guilt at her prank at Lizzie. When Hope had asked for help Penelope had went on autopilot.

“I know,” Cameron says with a sad smile. “Your heart was beating crazy all night. I was surprised you didn’t have a heart attack.”

Penelope scoffs. “Please, I’ve got a heart of steel.”

Cameron’s grin is nothing short of fond. “Okay.” She says placatingly, “But still. Josie wouldn’t have kissed you back if she didn’t mean it.”

“She told me she hated me.” Penelope informs her wryly.

Cameron waves a dismissive hand. “ _That_ we can chalk up to the buried alive thing.”

“Oh really?” Penelope laughs, “Is that how that works?”

“Yes.” Cameron says cheekily, “I’m an alpha, Pen, my word is law didn’t you know?”

Penelope tosses a fry at her face but Cameron catches it in her mouth with a satisfied hum. “Quiet or I’ll neuter you.”

Cameron only beams in response.

-

Josie corners her 2 days after the rescue and pushes her up against a closed door, kisses her until she’s breathless and fucks her to an inch of her life in the East wing of the school.

-

Cameron’s eyebrows are almost disappearing into her hairline as she listens. “Just out in the open?”

Penelope bites her lip and nods. “It was really hot.”

“Must have been,” Cameron whistles, “Especially to throw caution to the wind but like yay for passion?”

“This is getting messy.” Penelope sighs, “I don’t want to just be some fling or friend with benefits. I want to be with her.”

“Isn’t this a good thing though?” Cameron asks with a frown, “She’s finally doing something for herself.”

“By doing me?” Penelope asks incredulously.

“Sure.”

“I’m not sure if that’s better or worse.”

“Me either.” Cameron chirps.

-

_“Stop making this about you!”_

Penelope stops cold at the hissed whisper coming from the other side of the stack, Cameron crashing right into the arm she extends to stop her from moving. She presses a hand over Cameron’s mouth and yanks her further into the current aisle of the library they were in, closer to the whisper.

_“I’m not making this about me! I’m just worried-”_

_“About your fucking self!”_

Cameron’s eyes go wide, pulling at Penelope’s hand from around her mouth, “Is that Josie?” She whispers.

Penelope nods, almost catatonic.

_“Josie be reasonable.”_

_“No, I’m sick of this. I didn’t say anything when you wanted to run for president, I didn’t say anything when you slept with Rafael even when you knew I liked him but that’s over now.”_

There’s a tense silence after that and Penelope feels pride well in her chest at Josie finally, finally, finally, sticking up for herself.

_“You don’t get to have an opinion about what I do with Penelope.”_

Cameron slaps repeatedly at Penelope’s thigh as if Penelope wasn’t hanging on to every single second of this conversation without shame.

_“She’s using you to get to me Josie! You don’t get it. She was all ‘I’ll burn your world to the ground’ it’s just a plot-”_

_“Shut up. I instigated it. She wasn’t sleeping with me to get to you, Penelope would never to do that to me. She’s the only one who has my best interest at heart, I can see that now.”_

_“That’s not fair! You’re my twin Josie, I love you.”_

_“Yeah, maybe, you just love yourself more.”_

Cameron stiffens and then suddenly Penelope is being squeezed and in a blink they’re on the other side of the library. “Sorry she was coming towards us.”

“Camz, holy shit.”

“Did I squeeze too tight? I’m still working on strength control.” Cameron says with a grimace, patting at Penelope’s biceps like she’s looking for injury.

“Not that, doofus,” Penelope slaps her hands away, “I’m talking about Josie and Lizzie!”

“Oh,” Cameron grins, “Yeah that was crazy! What are the odds right? Talk about right place at the right time.”

“I can’t believe Lizzie would think I’d sleep with Josie to get to her. What a bitch! I love Josie I would never-”

“Want me to tackle her really hard at practice?”

“-absolutely. Break her bones.”

-

“Easy there killer.” Penelope drawls from the entrance of the potions lab.

Josie jolts but finally stops in her aggressive obliteration of what Penelope is sure is some poor defenseless flower. Penelope walks further into the lab and sits daintily on the open stool besides Josie. She’d tried to be patient about this whole thing but it’d been 3 days since she’d heard the whispered library conversation and Josie had yet to approach her about anything. Penelope was ready to push them along.

“What are you doing here?” Josie asks with pursed lips, looking back briefly over her shoulder like this is some kind of setup.

“I was coming to do some research but I saw a beautiful girl and couldn’t help myself.” Penelope flirts shamelessly. It was as easy as breathing to flirt with Josie. It’d been so long since she’d been on the receiving end of one Josie’s genuine smiles and her heart ached from the loss.

“Why didn’t you just go to the library?” Josie looks skeptical now and rightfully so because Penelope was definitely looking for her.

“I’m hiding from Cameron.” Penelope tells her with a sigh which wasn’t really a lie. Cameron had been testy all morning and Penelope had decided space was good for both of them only Cameron didn’t want to be alone either. She’d looked just as confused as Penelope at the whiplash of her emotions.

“Trouble in paradise?” Josie mocks her with a half hearted glare. She goes back to grinding down the flower petal and pays Penelope no mind.

Penelope scoffs. “Don’t be an ass. You know I’m not dating Cameron.”

“I don’t know anything anymore.” Josie grumbles.

“Hey,” Penelope says softly, resting her hand on Josie’s arm, “What’s going on? You know you can talk to me right?”

Josi doesn’t shake her off like Penelope half expects. “Isn’t it redundant to talk about you with you?”

“I mean maybe?” Penelope laughs, heart soaring with Josie offers her a small smile, “But I think I know myself pretty well so I might be of some assistance.” She informs Josie with a small smirk.

Josie stares at her for a long moment before shaking her head with a sigh. “I don’t get you, Pen.”

“What do you mean?” Penelope asks, her heart beating a little faster.

“You broke up with me.” Josie says around a frown, “You kept posting sad things on Instagram but spent the whole summer with Cameron. You campaigned against Lizzie but made me think it was for yourself even though it was for me. Then you threatened Lizzie on my behalf and that’s not even counting the-” She cuts herself off with wide eyes, swallowing thickly.

“What? The kiss?” Penelope demands, “Or are you talking about when you fucked me against the wall in the east wing?”

Josie flushes high in her cheeks but she meets Penelope’s gaze head on. “That was an accident.”

Penelope laughs without much humor, “Oh was it? You _accidentally_ put your hand up my skirt, _inside_ my vagina, and kept going until I came twice?”

“Why’d you break up with me then?” Josie finally explodes, jumping away from the table like she’s been burned, “Do you think this is funny? I love you, Penelope! And you just- you just threw me away like I was garbage and then you had the nerve to be _sad_? To- to fucking manipulate me into caring about you again? What’s your goal here? Hmm?”

Each word chips a little harder at Penelope’s chest but all she can focus on is those three little words even if they’re surrounded by a whole lot of pain. “I broke up with you, Josie, because you kept sidelining me. Anytime Lizzie so much as blinked, you were ditching me to tend to her and I get it, you’re twins and you have a bond, but she just absorbs all your energy and it left nothing for us. What was I supposed to do, Josie? Just let you ignore me and push me away while we were together?”

“You never said anything.” Josie says hoarsely, shaking her head as tears well in her eyes. “You should have said something.”

“I did.” Penelope says, getting to her feet now too and closing the distance between them, “How many fights did we get into about Lizzie? I got tired, Josie, of feeling second best. I can’t compete with your _twin_ even I’m not that deluded.”

“I’m sorry.” Josie finally cries, “I’m so sorry.” She falls into Penelope’s arms and finally breaks.

“I know, baby, I know.” Penelope sighs and something about the apology finally chips away at her heart and begins to heal.

-

“What do we do now?” Josie asks quietly.

They’d moved to the common room, abandoned now at the hour of the night it was, and Josie had burrowed into Penelope’s chest where she was pinched between the back of the couch and Penelope’s body. Penelope had reveled in the comfort of Josie pressed against her, her hand running through Josie’s hair to calm her down.

“What do you mean?” Penelope asks just as quietly. It’s like they were in a bubble and any loud noise or movement too sharp threatened to pop it.

“I mean where do we go from here.” Josie says, shifting a little so she can look up at Penelope.

“We do whatever you want.” Penelope says with a shrug. She cups Josie’s cheek with her free hand, strokes it gently with the pad of her thumb. “I love you so much, Josie, I don’t want to be without you again.”

Josie’s eyes fill with tears again but they don’t fall. She’s leans her head into Penelope’s palm. “I love you too, Penelope.”

Penelope’s smile feels like it’s a reflection of her heart. “I’m so glad you do but josie, I want you to be sure. I’d wait for you forever. We don’t have to rush into anything.”

“I don’t tell you often enough,” Josie starts slowly, “But I think you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I already know you’re the best thing that’s happened to me,” Penelope says confidently and then she decides to be bold for a moment because she was just so happy to be having this conversation that she leans forward and presses her lips to Josie’s.

“I missed you.” Josie sighs into her mouth, her body shifting so she was straddling Penelope now. “I missed you so much.”

“Me too.” Penelope gasps, gripping tightly to the back of Josie’s neck as Josie’s kisses get a little more heated and then starts nipping at her neck. “Wait- wait- Jojo, baby, we should slow down.”

Josie whines in the back of the throat, her breath panting right in Penelope’s ear and practically ruining her underwear in the process. She pulls back slowly, her eyes impossibly dark as she kisses Penelope again. “You’re right, we should, we should slow down.”

“I want you to be sure.” Penelope tells her again, though the argument feels a little weak with the heat between them.

“Okay,” Josie says but she leans in to kiss Penelope again, slowly and deeply and doing nothing to put out the flames of want in Penelope’s body, “sorry, okay, we’ll stop.”

“Oh fuck it.” Penelope practically growls as she leans up and smashes their mouths together again, her hands hooking around Josie’s neck to drag her back down. It’s all frantic movement and touch from there. It’s like Josie’s hands are everywhere all at once but it’s still not enough to keep Penelope from pushing further into her. Josie peels her shirt off in one fluid motion and wastes no time in sucking hickies into every part of open skin her mouth will reach. She gets to the waistband of Penelope’s skirt before Hope is storming into the room.

“Penelope, Jesus Christ, I’ve been looking all over for you!” Hope pants as she leans against a nearby wall.

Penelope shoots up from the couch, forcing Josie to sit up too and they booth stare at guilty from behind the back of the couch.

“Josie?” Hope asks in confusion before it dawns on her. “Oh my god, gross. Look Pen, Cameron’s freaking out, you gotta come quick. They think she’s about to shift.”

Penelope gets off the couch quickly, Josie a beat behind her and handing her her shirt. “Take me to her. Now.”

-

Cameron is drenched in sweat and chained to a wall when Penelope gets to her.

“Jesus, Camz,” Penelope whispers as she kneels in front of her best friend. She wraps her hands around Cameron’s neck and lifts her head up to get a better look. “Are you okay?”

“Hurts.” Cameron grinds out and when her eyes open a fraction, Penelope is startled by the bright yellow iris.

“Can’t we give her something?” Penelope demands, her eyes zeroing in on just how many people were in the room. She recognizes a few of them from Cameron’s wolf studies classes. They all look deeply concerned and scared, probably because this is what awaited them.

“The first shift is always the worse.” Mr. Tyler says sympathetically, “We just have to wait it out.”

“It’s not even a full moon.” Josie pipes in, “Why is she shifting?”

Mr. Tyler looks particularly troubled by this question. “It could be any number of reasons.”

“That doesn’t help her now.” Penelope glares at him once more before turning back around. “Camz, what can I do? How do I make it better?”

Cameron practically trembles against the chains strapping her to the wall. There’s sweat all along the edges of her hairline, soaking into the neck and armpits of her shirt. “I can’t- Pen it hurts.” She jolts forward again, a snarl ripping through her lips that scares everyone in the room. The chains rattle ominously.

“I know,” Penelope coos, rubbing her back, through it. She whispers an incantation under her breath, something soothing and numbing, and Cameron falls against her body heavily in relief. The chains are the only thing keeping Cameron from crushing her completely. “How long does this take?” She asks Mr. Tyler without turning around.

“It takes as long as it takes.” He supplies unhelpfully.

Penelope calls for Josie instead. Even Josie looks worried when she kneels down beside Penelope and Cameron was hardly her favorite person. “I need you to call my sister and tell her what’s going on.”

Josie nods quickly and practically flees from the room. It’s Hope that clears everyone else out of the room. “C’mon guys, let's give them some privacy.” She gives Penelope an encouraging smile and shuts the chamber door behind her with a heavy thud.

“I feel her,” Camz whispers drowsily, probably sweating and slobbering all over Penelope’s shirt. “She’s- it helps.”

“Who?” Penelope asks quietly, ever mindful of Mr. Tyler lingering around the edges of the chamber.

“The girl from my dreams.” Cameron says and for a moment she’s not in pain anymore. She leans back away from Penelope, her back hitting the cobblestone brick. “Don’t get so close to me.” She rasps, the hollow of her throat somehow deeper than normal, “It’s going to happen soon I can feel it.” Her head falls back against the wall, her breath coming in deep pants as her eyes squeeze shut.

Penelope barely gets far enough away before the shift happens in earnest.

Cameron jolts up onto her knees, her spine making grotesque movements under her skin and Penelope winces at the snap of bones. Cameron’s scream is deep and guttural, veins bulging on her neck and forehead but Penelope can’t tear her eyes away, especially where fur starts to sprout up Cameron’s arms. Once the hair starts, the rest of the shift happens quickly. The rest of Cameron’s bones break and shift and then before Penelope realizes, a great white wolf is right where her best friend used to be.

“Sweet mother of Jesus.” Mr. Tyler breathes. His eyes are wide and terrified and Wolf Cameron shifts her large head at him and bares her teeth. The almighty growl Cameron lets loose shakes the walls of the chamber. She runs at him, the chains in the wall the only thing keeping her from sinking her teeth into his neck.

Penelope feels actual fear fill her bones at the way the latch holding the chains creaks. “That wall’s going to give.” She realizes in horror.

“Penelope get out of here and go find the headmaster.” Mr. Tyler demands.

The wolf jolts at the chains again and one of them breaks free. Cameron snarls and yanks and yanks and then the other pops free too. Penelope doesn’t get the chance to even run for the door. The wolf incapacitates Mr. Tyler with one snap of its powerful jaws and Penelope can only watch in horror as it turns its eyes on her.

“Cameron.” Penelope calls out gently, her hand outstretched, “It’s me.”

The wolf snarls and hunches low, stalking forward slowly.

“Camz, please, I know you’re in there.” Penelope pleads, slightly shaky now.

The wolf gets a little closer, teeth still barred, but then right when Penelope can feel the heat of it’s breathe it stops. The wolf sudden takes a smell at the air, steps a little closer and snuffles at Penelope’s face. The sudden lick up her cheek is so startling, Penelope nearly jumps a foot in the air.

She hadn’t realized her eyes were closed until she opens them and a snout is right in her face. The wolf’s tail swishes slowly, dances briefly on its front paws and dive bombs Penelope with a bunch of licking.

Penelope is never going to let her live it down.

-

Quincy gets to them eventually and with the headmaster’s approval, he whisks Cameron away into the forest for the night. Mr. Tyler is brought to the infirmary to wake up after his snapped neck debacle and Penelope can only imagine the nightmares he’s probably plagued with as he heals.

“Hey.” Josie says hesitantly, her hands locked in front of her as she approaches Penelope. “Are you okay?”

Penelope laughs shortly. “I’ve definitely been better, Jojo.” She wraps the blanket Jackie had brought her tighter around her shoulders. The head healer had told her she was in shock. Jackie had practically force fed her a chocolate bar and a bottle of water. Now she sort of just felt exhausted.

Josie sinks down beside her slowly and to her credit she only fidgets for a minute before she wraps her arm around Penelope’s shoulder and pulls her close. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” After a beat she says begrudgingly, “And Cameron too I guess. That was intense.”

Penelope laughs, a high delirious sound now that the adrenaline was fading and she was next to Josie. “She’s my best friend, Jos.”

Josie smiles faintly and presses a gentle kiss to Penelope’s temple. “I know. I’m glad she didn’t kill you.”

“I can’t wait to rub it in her face.” Penelope says sleepily, “Stupid dog.”

Josie’s laugh is loud and genuine and the last thing Penelope remembers before she passes out.

-

Cameron comes back to school with her metaphorical tail between her legs and a weight added to her shoulders.

“I’m really sorry, Pen.” Cameron says shakily, her fingers knotted in front of her. She doesn’t even seem to care that Josie’s in the room too, her eyes stay locked on Penelope’s. “I hope you can forgive me.”

“Camz,” Penelope says very softly, “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I killed Mr. Tyler.” Cameron says hoarsely, “I could have killed you.”

“Mr. Tyler isn’t dead.” Josie pipes up from the other side of Penelope. They’d been spooning on the small twin bed, chatting idly about their day when Cameron had come in. “He made a full recovery.”

Cameron’s eyes lock on Josie’s and if she’s surprised by her suddenly poking up from behind Penelope’s shoulders she doesn’t show it. “He’s not dead?”

“No.” Josie tells her, “Clearly you don’t pay attention in wolf studies. The only way to kill a wolf is a special dagger through the heart.”

For a moment, Cameron’s face is unreadable, locked into some kind of silent battle with Josie that makes Penelope feel very confused and left out of. She laughs suddenly, shaking her head almost fondly before the tension bleeds from her shoulders and she’s smiling genuinely up at them.

“You’re right,” Cameron says with mirth in her voice, “I should pay more attention in class.”

Josie nods firmly. “I’d recommend it.”

“Well if the senior class president recommends it,” Penelope adds in teasingly, tilting backwards and smiling at Josie playfully.

Josie softens when she looks down at her and Penelope is still pleasantly surprised at the soft kiss Josie plants on her lips.

Cameron clears her throat pointedly but there’s a smile on her face. “Alright I’ll let you guys get back to your-“

“No wait!” Penelope calls after her before she can get too far, “I wanna hear about your shift!”

Cameron shifts awkwardly on her feet. “I don’t wanna intrude.”

“Oh,” Josie says, “I can go.” She starts scrambling off the bed but Penelope catches her arm and pulls her back.

“No! Everyone stays put. Josie you’re my space heater you promised and Cameron you slobbered all over my face so what I say goes.” Penelope demands. She pushes Josie back further onto the bed, situating herself so her back is molded to Josie’s front and pats the bed space in front of her. “Park it, Gonzales.”

Cameron smiles sheepishly but she needs no further urging as she toes off her shoes and practically dive bombs into the free space. She smells freshly showered, like Axe body wash and florally like her perfume and Penelope really has missed her.

“It was fun after the scary part was over.” Cameron confesses as she nestles into the pillow. She’s almost an inch away from Penelope’s face, a familiar position between the two of them but Penelope is acutely aware of how Josie stiffens behind her.

Penelope grabs one of Josie’s arms and tugs it over her waist, laces their fingers and pulls them up to her chest. It forces Josie’s body to shift, wrap around her tighter and after a moment, Josie relaxes. “Did you kill anything?” Penelope asks Cameron, like her body wasn’t having a silent conversation with Josie. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass her.

“A deer.” Cameron grins widely, “I took it down all by myself.” She says proudly, a twinkle in her eyes. “I’m bigger than Quincy.” The smile on her face is downright devilish and Penelope laughs.

“I heard you’re pure white in wolf form.” Josie joins in hesitantly. Her face is partially hidden behind Penelope’s shoulder with just her eyes peeking out over at Cameron.

Cameron hides her surprise at Josie speaking to her well. Penelope only notices because she knows Cameron like the back of her hand. “Yeah,” She tells Josie, “I think- it’s like a big deal or something I don’t know.”

“They’re not very common.” Josie informs her matter of factly. “Only one every couple hundred years. We should check the library to see if there’s any prophecies that include a white wolf.”

Cameron balks, “Wait seriously?”

Josie nods. “You really should pay attention in wolf studies.” It’s more genuinely teasing this time and Cameron laughs.

“I guess you’re right.” Cameron agrees.

Penelope has never felt happier in her entire existence than she does pinched between the love of her life and her best friend.

-

“I feel antsy.” Cameron says with a confused frown.

Penelope is ready to knock her out with all her fidgeting. Her knee hasn’t stopped bouncing since they’d sat down to do homework in the library and she couldn’t stay on one page for long enough to even read it before she was flipping through them again. “I’m going to hit you.” She warns as she flicks her wrist to freeze Cameron’s tapping pencil.

Cameron smiles sheepishly and drops the piece of wood. “I went for a run this morning I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like I need to get up and go.”

Penelope sighs grandly and shuts her books. “Alright, c’mon meathead, let's go for a walk.”

Cameron grins and Penelope makes her carry both their backpacks on her back though it hardly phases her.

“I have to tell you about my dream.” Cameron says suddenly as they head down the corridor. “It was crazy it felt so real.”

“Oh,” Penelope smirks, “Do tell.”

Cameron glares at her flatly. “You’re a perv. Not that kind of dream.”

Penelope wrinkles her nose and inspects her nails. “That’s disappointing.”

Cameron bumps her shoulder and sends her staggering. “Shut it. I have the mike now.”

Penelope spits her tongue at her but falls silent. They’re pretty directionless as they walk with Cameron unconsciously taking the lead. They don’t really have much to do later in the way of classes so Penelope follows along uncaring.

“So it’s like I’m in a forest-“

“-shocking-“

“- but I think I’m in wolf form because I can smell everything and I can like hear voices? So you know me, nosey, so I like get closer to it and I see these girls-“

“-hot-“

“-and they’re like, standing around a campfire? I don’t know man, it’s weird. But then it’s like they hear me because they turn in my direction but they’re looking too high up, like in the tree tops and I’m hunched real low. And then-“ Cameron stops there suddenly and when Penelope turns to look at her she’s got a weird look on her face. It’s like she’s on the cusp of putting something together, like it’s right on the top of her tongue but it’s still avoiding her.

“What happens next?”

“She looks right at me.” Cameron says monotone, “Like right in my eyes through the trees. Her eyes are _very_ green and she feels so familiar.” She shrugs and seems to shake off the entire dream, “And then I wake up and I’m always super hungry.”

Penelope frowns. “That’s odd.”

“Ain’t it?” Cameron agrees, “Now that I think about it they were like chanting.” She scratches idly at her nose, “Like Spanish or something. I couldn’t hear it the fire was too loud.”

“Do you think it’s her?” Penelope asks cautiously. They never talk about her. The only other survivor from Cameron’s pack was a touchy subject and Penelope never brought her up. She isn’t even sure if Cameron realizes how often she talks about her but it’s definitely been happening more often since her shift.

“Who?” Cameron asks, only further confirming just how oblivious she was.

“You know,” Penelope says leadingly, “The girl from your pack.”

Cameron’s face darkens in an instant, her body stiffening as she comes to a dead stop along the paved path to the fields. “We’re not talking about her.”

“Camz, I’m your best friend, I’m just trying to help.” Penelope tells her softly, stopping beside her.

“I don’t- she’s not- I don’t know what she looks like.” Cameron says stiffly, continuing forward at a much quicker pace than before.

“But you remember her eyes right?” Penelope pushes, “You’ve mentioned them before. It has to be her. Isn’t she your-“

“Stop.”

Penelope stops cold at the low growl, her hair standing on edge at the dark look in her best friend’s eyes. For a moment she looks exactly like what she is, a beast that could tear Penelope to shreds without even breaking a sweat if she so wished, but then she blinks and her body loosens.

“Sorry,” Cameron says hoarsely, remorse on her face as she shakes her head around, “Sorry- I just- I don’t wanna talk about it.” Then she speeds away in a flash and Penelope is left to cough at her dust.

“Well, shit.”

-

“Whoa what happened to you?” Josie asks in mild concern as Penelope let’s herself into her dorm room and flops face first onto her mattress.

“Camz and I got into a fight I think.” Penelope mumbles into Josie’s pillow. She takes a deep breath in and feels the scent of Josie melt away the tension in her bones. She was so glad to have Josie back in her life, even if they weren’t quite back together again.

“Uh oh what did you do?” Josie asks knowingly, spinning away from her desk and rolling up near Penelope’s head.

Penelope glares, “Why do you think I did something?”

“Because I know you,” Josie says cheekily, “Plus you look guilty. If it was Cameron’s fault you would have been ranting and pacing a hole in my floor.” She says knowingly.

Penelope grumbles some more.

“What was that? Can’t hear you over your wallowing.” Josie hums with a small smirk.

“Jerk,” Penelope grunts as she tosses a pillow at her but she can’t quite help the smile pulling at the corner of her lips. “Okay maybe it was my fault.”

Josie just stares at her patiently, her face encouraging.

“I just- she’s my _best friend_ Jojo.” Penelope whispers, picking at the threads of Josie’s throw blanket. It’s one she’d given her as a gift a while back and Penelope smiles down at it.

“I know that,” Josie says patiently, her voice soft. There’s not even a trace of animosity or jealousy anymore, the hatchet between her and Cameron well and truly buried. Penelope feels relief. “Cameron knows that too.”

“I may have pushed a button.” Penelope admits sheepishly, “A big red No No button.”

“Pen,” Josie admonishes lightly, “What did you do?”

“Okay fine,” Penelope pouts, “I may have mentioned she who shall not be named, mainly because we don’t even know her name,” She adds in a grumble.

“I’m lost. She’s mad because you brought up an ex?” Josie asks with a frown.

Penelope has the decency to feel a little ashamed. “More like the only other surviving member of her old pack.”

Josie balks at that. “Penelope!” She admonishes in earnest now.

“I was just trying to help!” Penelope defends. “She’s- Cameron deserves the world okay? She’s lost so much, Jojo and i really feel like there has to be some kind of connection between the two of them. My sister says they might have even been mates! Mates, Josie! You know how serious that is in wolf culture!” She’s picked up steam now, pushing herself off Josie’s bed to pace the length of the room, “She doesn’t even realize how much she talks about her. Ever since her shift she says she keeps dreaming about her but Spirits forbid I call it out or bring it up, it’s like World War 3!”

Josie’s chin is in the palm of her hand as she listens dutifully to Penelope ranting, a concentrated frown on her face. “What do you mean she dreams about her?”

Penelope stops briefly to look at her before continuing on. “She dreams about green eyes and familiarity and remembering her smell. Honestly she’s _so_ gay.”

“Penelope,” Josie laughs with a shake of her head. “Don’t be mean.”

“Jojo,” Penelope sighs, “I just want her to find love like o have.”

Josie softens immediately, rising from her chair to pull Penelope into her arms. “You’ve got such a big heart, Pen.” She sighs into the crown of Penelope’s hair, “I’ll help you if you want.”

Penelope pulls away in surprise. “Really?”

Josie’s smile is nothing short of radiant. “Of course. I’d do anything for you, Penelope.” She says with a shy smile.

Penelope kisses her.

-

Cameron seemingly disappears and it makes Penelope more moody than she’d like to admit. Any text messages or snap chats are either left on read or replied to with short answers and the two times Penelope has swung by her dorm, Cameron had been MIA.

“Still giving you the cold shoulder?” Josie asks sympathetically as Penelope sits practically on top of her at her lunch table. She wraps her arm around Josie’s and buries her face in Josie’s bicep.

“More like avoidance.” Penelope mumbles.

“What’s the matter, Satan? Lose your lap dog?” Lizzie asks snidely.

Penelope’s just about to clap back when Josie does it for her. “Mind your business, Lizzie.” Josie glares at her twin. Lizzie sends a scathing glare in Penelope’s direction and Penelope sticks her the finger.

“Are you and Cameron fighting?” Hope asks around a curious frown.

“I didn’t think you guys even knew how.” MG adds in just as perplexed.

“Leave her alone guys,” Josie defends with a glare around the table. She wraps her arm around Penelope’s shoulder and Penelope leans into her and grins smugly.

“Well I hope you guys make up,” MG offers Penelope a genuine smile, “She’s been super aggressive at football practice. I think I have a bruise on my back.”

Penelope is upset by this but tries not to show it. Josie senses it and squeezes her tighter.

-

Cameron is brooding in the library when a backpack is slamming into the chair across from her and a body is suddenly in front of her. She recognizes the girl vaguely from her wolf studies class, a beta because she doesn’t bother Cameron’s nose, but her name escapes Cameron.

“Hurts like a bitch doesn’t it?” The girl says, settling down and cracking open her books.

Cameron blinks, “What?”

“Shifting.” The girl says, “The first time is literally the worst.” She says again, a grimace passing across her face.

“Yeah.” Cameron half laughs, twirling her pencil, “It was terrible. I didn’t even know I had that many bones to break.”

The girl laughs, flashes Cameron a pretty grin, “I’m Isabella.”

“Cameron,” Cameron says with a half smile, pointing her pencil at herself.

“I know,” Isabella smirks, “I’m surprised your partner in crime isn’t with you.”

Cameron feels her face fall. “We’re kinda, giving each other space right now.”

“Oh.” Isabella says in surprise, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-”

“No it’s okay,” Cameron rushes to assure, “You didn’t know.” She says with a shrug. She turns back to her books after, unwilling to continue on with this particular thread of conversation. She hated being mad in general, but being mad at Penelope was like pressing salt into a fresh wound. Rationally she knew Penelope meant no harm with her questions, but they had hurt all the same.

“Is it weird?” Isabella asks after a long stretch of silence, nervousness in her voice.

“Is what weird?” Cameron frowns, looking up again.

“Having a mate.” Isabella ask nervously, “Penelope’s yours right?”

Cameron bulks at the suggestion. “Oh god no. She’s just- she’s pack. She’s my best friend.”

“Oh god,” Isabella pales, “I’m so sorry I just assumed because you guys are always together and she’s like covered in your scent.”

Cameron laughs, “Yeah we just spend a lot of time together. She’s not my- do you have a mate?”

“No,” Isabella says, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear shyly, “I wish. Sometimes I dream about a girl but it’s always really vague. I can never tell what she looks like. I just remember the feeling-”

“-of warmth.” Cameron finishes for her softly.

Isabella nods, a curious look on her face, “You have dreams too?”

“Yeah.” Cameron says hoarsely, her leg starting to bounce beneath the table, “I think so. I-I kinda see her face. Hery eyes at least.”

Isabella looks surprised, “That must mean you’re close to meeting.” She informs her, “It’s not uncommon once you have your first shift. The bond gets stronger once you’ve both had it if you’re both wolves.”

Cameron tilts her head. “You know a lot about this stuff huh?”

Isabella blushes and shrugs, “I read a lot.”

Cameron decides then and there that they can be friends.

-

Penelope can’t sleep and Josie’s long since stopped texting her back, asleep herself no doubt, so Penelope just stares up at the wall and tries not to think of the Cameron shaped hole in her heart.

She and Josie had found a tracking spell in an old dusty book from the library that could pretty much find anyone they needed to. Only it was most effective with an actual item of the persons. Josie seemed to think if they could somehow use Cameron as a channel it would work but Penelope was doubtful. Even if they could get it to work, there was no way in hell Cameron would agree.

Penelope flips over on her side and nearly has a stroke at the sight of a great white wolf sitting just in front of her room door. It’s tail starts thumping against the floor as soon as Penelope gasps.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Cameron.” Penelope presses a heart to her hammering chest, sitting up on an elbow. “What are you doing here?”

Cameron crouches low, ears pulled back as she whines softly. Penelope rolls her eyes.

“Alright come on.” Penelope draws the blankets back some and Cameron leaps onto the bed, rocking the whole frame as she tucks into Penelope’s side. Her nose is right in Penelope’s face and the swipe of a broad tongue up her face is almost expected. “I want a better apology than that.” She grumbles.

Cameron shuffles closer, her body impossibly warm. Penelope just sighs and scratches behind her ears. “I missed you, Camz.” She says quietly, “I really didn’t mean to upset you, ya know? I just want to help. Even though me and Josie aren’t officially together again, it’s nice to have someone. I want you to have that too. Plus it’s even stronger for wolves.”

Cameron sighs heavily through her snout and nuzzles closer to Penelope and Penelope knows they’ll be okay.

-

Penelope frowns at the girl sitting next to Cameron for all of two seconds before her attention refocuses. “I need a lock of your hair.”

Cameron, to her credit, doesn’t even look put off by this. “Like from my head? Or can you use my brush?”

The girl next to her looks a little weirded out.

“It’s gotta be fresh.” Penelope tells her, “Who’s this?” She sneers at the newcomer. Penelope’s sure she’s seen her somewhere, maybe potions class, but other than that she’s a stranger.

“This is my new friend, Isabella,” Cameron says, half distracted with pulling a strand of hair from her head. “She’s a beta.”

Penelope looks at Isabella critically for a moment before shrugging. “Hi, I’m Cameron’s best friend.” She says only half as possessively as she wants to.

“I know,” Isabella laughs, “You’ll find no disagreement here. What do you need her hair for?”

Cameron produces said strand of hair and holds it out to Penelope who puts it into a vial.

“A tracking spell, if you must know.” Penelope says snootily.

“For what?” Isabella frowns.

“Cameron’s mate.” Penelope informs easily. She holds the small vial up to the light before pursing her lips, “Can I have another just in case?”

Cameron glares at her flatly, “No.”

“Uh I hate to interrupt your plan but there’s a simpler way to do it.” Isabella says cautiously, shooting Cameron a small look.

“Speak.” Penelope demands.

“There’s a potion you can give her and it’ll force her shift and then you kinda just follow her. The potion will help her catch the scent and force her to follow it.” Isabella informs them, “Plus Cameron’s been having clearer dreams so she’s gotta be close.”

Penelope purses her lips and crosses her arms. “You know how to brew it?”

Isabella bobs her head.

“Alright, come on then.” Penelope tells her and Isabella flashes her a grin before packing up her stuff. Cameron makes to get up too but Penelope shoves her back down, “Uh uh, I don’t think so meathead. You clearly need to stay here and get caught up on your wolf studies.” She says pointedly.

Cameron pouts, “It’s not my fault I like sports better.”

Penelope laugh and presses a kiss to her forehead, “We’ll come find you when we’re done.”

-

They follow Cameron for hours.

Penelope climbs on Isabella’s back as she races through the forest after Cameron. For a while it’s like Cameron spins in circles, the scent confusing her, but Penelope whispers an incantation that helps her filter out her scents and she runs steadily for two hours. They make it into a forest Penelope has never been too before and for a moment she’s worried that maybe they should have called in backup but then she remembers that she’s with two powerful wolves and it fades as quickly as it came.

Isabella stops a few yards behind Cameron, who’s hunched low in the foliage, stalking forward slowly. Her body is almost completely still and if it wasn’t for the stark white of her fear, she’d blend in with the forest. “I think she found her.” Isabella whispers.

Cameron leaps suddenly and Penelope hears shouting and cursing and growling before a puff of fire is exploding through the trees. She and Isabella exchange worried looks before darting forward too.

-

“Get it off! Get it off! Get it OFF!”

“I’m fucking trying!”

Penelope stops cold at the sight in front of her, Isabella a half step ahead and shielding Penelope’s body with her own. Cameron is on the shoulders of a dark haired girl who is trying in vain to peel her off. How Cameron has even gotten up there is a question for another day. The dark haired girl’s friend tries shoving and tearing Cameron off her friend’s shoulders but yields little success. There’s a fire still smoking and meager belongings scattered about.

The dark haired one looks up at them suddenly and Penelope knows without a doubt that this is Cameron’s mate. Her eyes are a stunning shade of green and she suddenly gets why Cameron had waxed poetic about them.

“Who the fuck are you?” She glares at them hotly.

They all seem to freeze and Cameron finally jumps off her shoulders and runs a circle around Isabella and Penelope in excitement.

“Penelope,” Penelope introduces first, side stepping Isabella who’s frozen in her spot and locked into some kind of stare battle with the friend. “The wolf is Cameron and that’s Isabella.”

The girl looks skeptical and seconds from attacking.

“Cameron’s your mate.”

If anything that is the wrong thing to say because the dark haired girl charges her in an instant. It’s only the school training that kicks in her defensive magic that the girl ricochets right back off.

“Shouldn’t you be happy?” Penelope asks incredulously, watching as the girl picks herself up from the forest floor and dusts off her jacket.

“Do I look happy, asshole?” The girl fires back and okay, wow, rude.

Cameron finally chooses then to shift, clad only in a tight band around her breasts and tight running shorts. She steps passed Penelope and the girl’s face goes through a series of emotions.

“Holy shit.” She mutters, “You’re real.”

“So are you.” Cameron half laughs in disbelief, “Do you- do you remember me?”

“Yeah,” the girl breathes out, “I-I survived that night because of you. You-You covered me.”

Cameron nods shakily. “Yeah- can I- What’s your name?”

“Reyna,” The girl says and for a moment she looks shy as she tucks a strand of hair around her ear, “You?”

“Cameron.” Cameron tells her, still breathy, “Your name suits you.”

“So does yours.” Reyna says wryly.

“This is cute and all,” Reyna’s friend drawls, “But tell your friend to quit staring at me before I suck her dry.”

Penelope bulks and Isabella finally seems to snap out of her trance.

Cameron seems to realize then that there’s another person presence. Penelope watches her sniff cautiously at the air and then in Reyna’s direction and frown heavily. “You smell like each other.” She notes.

Reyna stiffens and steps away from Cameron and closer to her friend. “We’re best friends.” She says defiantly, raising her chin in challenge.

“Cool,” Cameron chirps, “Penelope is my best friend.”

Penelope waves cheekily under the intense glare sent her way.

“What’s your name?” Isabella asks suddenly, her eyes fixated on Reyna’s vampire friend.

“Sofia,” The girl says skeptically, “Can you guys go away now?”

“No way,” Cameron laughs, parking herself right by the smoldering fire, “We have so much to catch up on.”

Penelope watches the two of them shift uncomfortably and share a secret look and thinks that getting them back to the school is going to be a tougher task than they’d originally planned.

-

When they finally get back to campus with two reluctant but hungry additions, the first thing Penelope does is seek Josie out. It’d been weighing on her mind heavily the entire walk back, because in theory, Sofia and Reyna could have slaughtered her very easily at any point and she can’t help but feel a little left out when they break off into pairs leaving Penelope as the fifth wheel.

“Hey! Where’d you go? I’ve been looking for you-”

Penelope cuts Josie off with a passionate kiss. She doesn’t stop until Josie is practically putty in her hands and both their chests are heaving. “Be my girlfriend.” Penelope pleads, her breath coming out in quick pants.

Josie’s already nodding before Penelope’s even got the sentence out completely. “Yeah, okay, yes absolutely.”

“Yeah?” Penelope grins, her hands still cupping Josie’s cheeks.

Josie’s grin is blinding, “Yes, I’d love to be your girlfriend.”

Penelope kisses her again and ignores the groans from behind her. She had her girl and her best friend and nothing else mattered. She was unstoppable now.

 

 

 


End file.
